Toy design or figure forming set



Dec 3, W' M TOY DESIGN oN FIGURE FORMING SET Filed NOV. 19, 1934 5Sheets-Sheet l `Zw-6 7 INVENTOR. f"

ATTORNEYS W. M. BARNETT TOY DESIGN ON FIGURE FORMING SET Filed NOV. 19,1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Dec 3, 1935- w. M. BARNETT TOY DESIGN ON FIGURE FORMING' SETFiled.` Nov. 19, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 A INVENTOR. //y//Ilf Wr/rfi?Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William M. Barnett,Medina, Ohio, assignor to The A. I. Root Company, Medina, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application November 19, 1934, Serial No. 753,577

13 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a toy design orgure forming set including a main support, whereby a great variety ofdesigns may be formed on the support by a small child, which designswill be self-sustaining in position on the support and re-arrangeable atthe will of the child.

A further object is to provide a toy design or figure forming setwherein said great variety of designs or figures may be made up using avery few comparatively simple design or figure forming elements.

A further object is to provide a design or figure forming set includinga base having parallel rib and groove effects thereon and design oriigure forming elements adapted to be interchangeably associated withthe rib and groove effects, wherein the elements may be placed closelyadjacent, each other for substantially unbroken design efiects in alarge variety of relationships -to each other.

A further object is to provide a novel design or figure forming setadapted to be made wholly of wood or other non metallic materials andrequiring no metal fasteners such as nails, pins, etc. likely to bedangerous for the child to have in his possession.

A speciiic object is to provide a toy design or iigure forming setwherein the design forming elements, when positioned by a small child,ordinarily require a force such as a blow of a mallet e. g. to fullyassociate the elements with the base and which elements may neverthelessbe removed readily from the base by the ngers of such small child.

Another object is to provide a toy design or iigure forming set wherebya large variety of architectural compositions, for example, may becreated by a child using a relatively small number of design unitsadapted for realistic simulation of such compositions in threedimensions.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Fig. l is a perspective View of one embodiment of theinvention;

Figs. 2 to 6 are diagrammatic plan views oi' the design forming elementsand portions of the base, the design forming elements being variouslyarranged;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 'F-l onFig. 4;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are perspective views showing the under side of thedesign forming elements;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a means of blockingout certain portions of the eld of the base as by paper strips andsecuring such strips in place;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the man- 5 ner in which coverstrips as of paper may be associated with the design forming elementshereof to increase the variety of design effects obtainable With theset;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a 10 modied arrangement ofrib and groove eiects and an exemplary design obtainable thereon withthe comparatively few design elem-ents shown;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 15 is a perspective View of the architectural design units arrangedin a different manner from that shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is an illustrative perspective view of a suitable roof formingdevice for the architectural 20 units;

Figs. 17 to 20 are diagrammatic plan views of other suggestedarrangements of architectural design elements; and

Fig. 2l is a perspective View of a chimney ele- 25 ment illustrated inFigs. 14 and 15.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the base or field element of the toy isindicated at I. This has rib and groove eiects on its top side formed,as shown, by two sets of parallel slots 2 and 3, the grooves of each setbeing equally spaced and of equal width. Preferably the base is of woodand the rib and groove, or block and groove effects may be formed by agang saw operating rst in one direction over the face of the board andthen in a transverse direction. The base may comprise other materialssuch as pressed fibre board, Masonite being an example of such othermaterials. These are not as strong as wood and are inclined to peel, butin some cases may have an advantage because the grain runs in alldirections wherefore all the grooves will be more certain to 'be ofequal widthV when cut by the same gang saw. The base may also be moldedfrom various materials, say Bakelite or fairly hard rubber.

Such base element is usually mounted in a suitable box (not shown) withthe base element at one end or side of the box leaving a space forstoring the design or figure forming elements, which will now bedescribed.

A variety of elemental design forming devices are shown comprising shortstrips 5, and longer strips 5a, 5b etc. The strips, as shown in Figs. 1to 7, are substantially the same width as the grooves 2 and 3 at oneedge and slightly thicker at the opposite edge. The narrow edge of thestrip is shown in section in Fig. '7 at 5 and the thicker edge at 5".With this arrangement the thin edge may be easily forced partly into thegrooves by the fingers and, after thus positioning the strips, the childmay pound the strips tightly into place using a mallet such as shown inFig. 1 at 6. The mallet may be made entirely of wood.

By reason of the child requiring a mallet e. g. to fully position thestrips and other elements to be later described, the toy is unusuallyfascinating for children who naturally enjoy using a harnmer.Observation of children at work with the set indicates that childrenderive as much enjoyment from pounding the strips into place as theywould if provided with hammer and nails. The latter in the hands ofsmall children would obviously be undesirable from the standpoint ofsafety of the child and safety of property.

The strips when fully seated in the grooves as by a mallet extendupwardly beyond the face of the base a suicient distance so that thechild may work the strips back and forth with his fingers and unseat thestrips from the grooves for rearranging the strips into other patterns.This is partly due to the resiliency of wood grain structure, the stripsbeing preferably of wood and attractively variously colored withharmless stains or thin lacquers. The disconnected blocks or ribs 4 ofthe base are spaced widely enough so that with the strips positioned inadjacent grooves there will be adequate clearance for the childs ngersbetween the strips to enable him to readily work the strips loose fromthe grooves. Seven sixteenths of an inch is ample spacing for thegrooves.

The strips, as well as being positionable in the manner illustrated atthe right in Fig. 1, are also positionable upright as shown at the leftin Fig. l and again in Fig. 11. The thin edge is also of advantage insuch upright positioning of the strips. In placing the strips in uprightposition the child first inserts the thin corner of the strip into thegroove and then upends the strip (toward the thick edge) into verticalposition relative to the base, which operation requires slightlycompressing the strip at the thick portion insuring that several stripsthus placed vertically will remain firmly in the desired parallelpositions.

It is to be noted that the lengths of the various strips 5, 5a, etc. arebased on the horizontal right angular dimensions of the blocks 4 formedby the base grooves. The length of the smaller strips 5 conformsubstantially exactly to the dimensions of the base blocks so that withthe small strips positioned with their ends in registration with thevertical corners of the base blocks other strips may be positioned inthe adjacent transverse grooves contiguous to both ends of the smallstrips thereby permitting ladder effects for example, to be built up onthe base. The lengths of the longer strips (as well as other elements tobe later described) are similarly determined on the basis of the baseblock dimensions with, however, the addition of unit lengthscorresponding to the width of the grooves determined by the number ofbase blocks 4 spanned by a given strip, so that any of the strips may bepositioned with both ends in registration with the corners of theextreme base blocks adjacent which the end portions of the strips lie.The relationships above described are apparent in the pictorialarchitectural design shown in Fig. 6, wherein the larger window frames 1are built up of H arrangements of strips 5 and 5a.

In addition to the design and figure forming strips, larger devices areprovided such as the circular disc shapes 8, squares or rectangles 9,triangular shapes l] and I0' and trapezoidal shapes I l. The twoexemplary triangular shapes are shown in Fig. 6, these, used in pairs,forming different gable eiects for the house thereshown.

The preferred means for securing the larger design elements or devicesto the base comprises ribs I 3 on the lower sides of said elements, seeFigs. 8, 9 and 10. The ribs may also be slightly wedge-shaped and thickenough so as to require a blow to fully seat the ribs in the grooves.The under surfaces I2 of the devices 8 to Il inclusive, adjacent theribs, form abutments to engage the top faces of the base blocks tolocate the top surfaces of the devices parallel with the base and tobring the side surfaces into true vertical position. The dimensions ofthe larger design elements or devices are preferably based on the same`design formula as the strips 5, 5a etc. Each disc element 8, forexample, fully overlaps two base blocks when positioned on the base sothat the vertical edges on four sides are tangent to the near walls ofthe grooves, this allowing the strip elements 5 etc. to be arranged onall four sides of each disc, contiguous therewith in continuous designeffect. Fig. 5 shows several of the small strips and a triangular shapeso arranged with relation to respective discs. Likewise the triangularshapes have their longer and shorter base line dimensions approximatelythe same as the number of base blocks 4 and intervening grooves whichthey overlap so that the strips may be positioned closely adjacent thetriangular shapes on both base line sides, as well as across all threecorners at the same time.

As suggested in Figs. 1 to 6, it has been found that using the fewsimple shapes above described a surprising number of both natural andartificial objects may be simulated. In Fig. l, for example, thecomposition represents a railroad locomotive with cab, wheels,cow-catcher, funnel and smoke, Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of the twotriangular units and a strip 5b to represent a sailboat. Figs. 3 and 5are illustrative of the manner in which the discs, shorter strips etc.may be used to simulate simple bird and animal shapes respectively. InFig. 5, the composition simulates a hunter with a gun aimed at theanimal, the latter being said by the child who comr posed it to be arabbit. Fig. 4 shows the representation of the numerals 1, 2 and 3 usingthe strips 5 and 5a. The letters of the alphabet can also be similarlyformed, (not shown). The more complicated design arrangement of Fig. 5,previously referred to, represents a house having a door, windows, roofand chimney; the small strips 5 above the chimney simulating smokeissuing therefrom.

In many instances the child is enabled to add to the desirable effectsof the design by blanking out portions of the field as by a piece orstrip of paper e. g. l5, Fig. 11, the strip having two or more of itsmargins turned downwardly as at |5a to enter the grooves, in which saidmargins may be secured as by means of the elements 5, for example. Alsosuch strips of paper e. g. may be mounted on top of the design elementsas shown in Fig. 12, wherein the paper strip IG has its down turnedmargins IBa secured between pairs of short strips 5 wedged in a mannerto pinch said margins of the paper between them. This latter device byusing differently colored or configured paper permits a change in dressof an object. The figure shown represents a conventional doll and thechangeable paper element I6 represents a skirt.

The variety of design effects obtainable may be somewhat amplied by theprovision of diagonal grooves 20 as well as horizontal and verticalgrooves 2 and 3 as shown in Fig. 13. In the event of thus using fourrather than two sets of grooves, the grooves of two of the sets aresomewhat more widely spaced so as to reduce the likelihood ofdefectively formed blocks on the base and to leave finger room for thechild to manipulate the design elements or devices. The design ele mentsare, in this embodiment, made up on the basis of the shorter sidedimensions of the triangular base blocks 2| (and the intermediategrooves in case of the longer or larger elements).

Referring now to the three dimensional design mcdication illustrated inFigs. 14 to 21, the principal design devices comprise elemental buildingparts so proportioned that a large variety of building forms can beerected on the base using a few of said parts but in differentrelationships tc each other. The composition 3B erected on the board inFig. 14 represents a colonial type house and environs. The base larepresents the grounds and preferably the base blocks 4a are oblongrather than square; (made by double spacing the saws of the gang saw e.g.), this affording adequate facility for the erection of thearchitectural elements. In various places on the grounds tree effects asat 3| are erected, these being, for example, iiat pieces of vwood boardcut to the shape shown with trunk portion 3la adapted to lit any of thegrooves of the base. Fence or border effects as at 32 are secured by anydesired arrangement of strips 5, etc. earlier described. Sidewalk, porchfloor etc. effects i5 are obtained by strips of cardboard or paper whichmay be merely laid down on the field or secured as previously describedin connection with Fig. 11.

The house 30 shown in Fig. 14 is made up o-f vertical side wall elementsor sections 35 (two being used on each side of the house), vertical endwall elements or sections 36, (one at each end), chimney elements 3l(two being shown) and roof members 4B and 40a. The Vertical wallsections and chimneys are preferably wood, the wall sections beingsuitably decorated at least on one side to simulate window and dooreffects and, if desired, masonry and wall finish effects such as brick,stone, clapboards etc. The chimneys are likewise decorated in `suitablemasonry effects.

The board stock used to form the vertical elements, including thechimney, is preferably of a width very slightly greater than the widthof the base grooves 2 and 3 so that it requires considerable pressure toseat the lower edges of the vertical elements into the grooves. Thelower margins may also be slightly beveled to form a slight taper atthese margins to facilitate inserting the same into the grooves.

Some of the vertical elements, not necessarily all, are based on thedesign formula, above demonstrated, relative to the strips 5, 5aetc.That is to say, the horizontal longer base dimensions of certain of thevertical elements (wall sections) are determined by the shorter of therectangular dimensions of the base blocks 4a with allowances added forthe base block separating grooves, the number of block and groovedimension units taken depending on the number of base blocks and groovestoV be spanned by a given wall element. As shown, the horizontaldimensions of `the side wall 'sections 3.5 are determined as abovestated and the end wall sections 36 are slightly longer so as to overlapthe adjacent ends of the vertical side sections. A greater variety ofarchitectural forms may be obtained from a given number of designelements by having the base dimensions of the vertical wall sectionsiollow the formula above given but, in general, this produces gapeffects at the corners of the buildings formed by the sections and fromstandpoint of producing more realistic architectural compositions is,therefore, undesirable.

Some of the side wall sections 35 may have upwardly extendingprojections 35a as shown in full lines in Fig. 14 and in broken lines inFig. 19 for forming dormer window effects.

Other illustrative design units (vertical wall sections) are shown inFigs. 17, 18 and 20. The intermediate unit 36, shown in Fig. 17 is oneof the end wall sections as used in the compositions shown in Figs. 14and 16, and the steeper gable units 38 may be used adjoining this toform curb roof designs. These elements 38 may also be used together assuggested in Fig. 18 for forming conventional gable types with steeperroofs than shown in Fig. 14 e. g. Elements such as 39 Fig. 20 may beused to form low L eiects, porches etc. or as side walls for the curbroof types etc. (not shown) Recessed porch effects may be formed bysetting back certain of the side wall sections (not shown) and, ifdesired, using paper or cardboard covering for the base blocks, somewhatin the manner shown at l5 in Fig. 11 and again at i5 Fig. 14.

The roof elements 40, 40a, etc. (see also Fig. 16) may be simply fairlystiff paper or cardboard supplied With the set in large sheetsconventionally decorated as roong (shingles e. g.); sections of suchsheets being cut away for the chimneys and dormer window extensions 35aas required. Instead of entirely removing the material cut to aiordclearance for, say a chimney, the paper or cardboard may be slit andbent downwardly as at 42, Fig. 16, so as to-be embraced between thechimney elements e. g. and the adjacent vertical wall sections (35, 36etc.); this device serving to secure the roof in place when desired.

The chimney element 3l is important in the d..- sign of a variety ofcompositions since the appearance of a given building may be greatlyvaried merely by differently locating the chimneys. The lower end of thechimney has a tongue 45 (Fig. 21) the function of which is similar tothe tongues I3 of the larger elements of the set previously described.The chimney must necessarily be positioned close to the end and sidewall sections for realistic appearance and the tongue forms a means forso locating the chimney by engaging any of the base grooves extendingtransversely of the groove which supports the wall section.

It is to be understood that the architectural elements shown areillustrative only and obviously a. much greater variety of architecturalforms could be obtained by amplification of the elements.

I claim:

1. In a toy of the type comprising a base, one major face of which hasintersecting grooves forming substantially rectangular disconnectedblocks, the combination therewith of design or figure forming elementsincluding strips substantially the Width of the grooves adapted tofrictionally engage the grooves interchangeably, strips being of alength such that the opposite ends thereof may be simultaneouslypositioned to substantially register with the edges of the block orblocks adjacent which the end portions of the strip extend, wherebyother strips may be positioned in substantially contiguous relation toboth ends of the strip positioned as aforesaid and crossing the saidends.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the design formingelements include a substantially circular disc, the diameter of which issuch that opposite side edges of the disc are in substantiallytangential relation to two grooves without overlying either groove,whereby said strips may engage either of said two grooves and liecontiguous to the disc.

3. In a toy design or figure forming set of the type having a base withparallel grooves thereon, the combination of substantially rigid designor gure forming devices each having means forming rigid portions thereofadapted to tightly frictionally engage the grooves interchangeably, saiddevices each having a portion standing above the top plane of the base asuicient distance so that a child can grasp the device and remove it byhand, said devices being positionable on the base in said grooves invarious relationships to each other to form a variety of designs orgures.

4. In a toy design or figure forming set of the type having a base withan intersecting arrangement of parallel grooves of substantially uniformwidth, the combination therewith of design elements, each having aportion arranged to interchangeably engage the grooves with suicienttightness so as to require a force comparable to a blow of a mallet toseat the element in a selected groove, and a portion adapted to extendabove the top plane of the base a sucient distance to enable removal ofthe device from the groove by the human iingers. Y

5. In a toy design or figure forming set of the type comprising a basehaving parallel rib and groove effects on its top face, and a pluralityof design devices adapted to engage the grooves, the novel arrangementthat the devices differ from each other in length and lateral contourand each of the devices has means to firmly frictionally engage the saideffects, and, when so engaged therewith, has a relatively wider portionextending above the uppermost surface of the base a sucient distance sothat a child can, with his iingers, lift the device from said engagementon the base.

6. In a toy of the type comprising a base, one major face of which hasintersecting grooves forming substantially rectangular disconnectedblocks, and design or figure forming elements adapted to engage thegrooves, the combination that the elements are of such dimentions withrespect to the dimensions of the base blocks and grooves that oppositeends of said elements may be simultaneously positioned to substantiallyregister with the edges o'f the block or blocks adjacent which the endportions of the elrnent extend.

7. In a toy design or figure forming set of the type having a base withparallel grooves on its top side, and design or ligure forming elementsadapted to frictionally engage the grooves in various relationships toeach other to form a de- 5 sign in relief on the base, the combinationtherewith of a cover strip for concealing selected portions of thegrooves, and means including said elements and grooves engaged therebyto secure the strip in fixed superposed relation to the base.

8. In an apparatus of the class comprising a base having sets ofparallel grooves in its top side in intersecting arrangement, rigiddesign forming devices in the form of architectural Wall elementsadapted to stand upright on the base in said grooves in variousrelationships to each other, said elements having means at the baseportions thereof to rmly frictionally engage the grooves of either setand extend past a plurality of the grooves of the other set andterminate adjacent respective transverse grooves.

9. In an apparatus of the class comprising a base having intersectinggrooves on its top side, the combination of a design forming device inthe form of rigid architectural wall elements of substantially the samewidth as the grooves and adapted to be inserted edgewise into selectedsaid grooves so that the selected groove maintains the device in uprightposition, another design forming device adapted to be placed in face toface contact with the aforesaid device to carry out an architecturaldesign theme, the second mentioned device having means to frictionallyengage a groove transverse to the groove engaged by the iirst mentioneddevice as a support.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second mentioned devicerepresents a chimney and has a depending tongue for engagement with saidtransverse groove.

11. In apparatus of the class comprising a base having a plurality ofraised and recessed effects on its top side in regular geometric patternai-, rangement, the combination of a plurality of wall members adaptedto be positioned upright on the base by means of said eifects, tosimulate building walls, and a separate roof simulating element adaptedto overlie a plurality of the assembled devices to complete thebuilding, and coacting means on one of the wall members and the roofelement mutually abutting in intersecting vertical planes to hold theroof element in position on the building.

l2. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein portions of said roofsimulating element are embraced between adjacent wall members to securesaid lroof element in position.

13. In a toy design or figure forming set, a base having a substantiallyuniform arrangement of intersecting grooves on its top face formingisolated blocks of triangular form, and a plurality 30 of design orfigure forming devices, each having means thereon adapted to engage thegrooves interchangeably.

WlLLIAM M. BARNETT.

